The invention relates to a self-concealing system for providing a higher and fuller appearance for a ponytail. More particularly, the invention relates to a system that works in conjunction with a pony tail, and invisibly manipulates the hair forming said pony tail, to prop up the pony tail and provide a fuller overall appearance for the same.
Despite the multitude of hairstyles promulgated over the years, the ‘ponytail’ has persisted in one form or another throughout. Probably because it is a way to neaten the hair rather quickly, the ponytail has everlasting popularity. Commonly the ponytail is a collection of hair that is bound with a ribbon, tie, or rubber band.
Depending on how tightly the hair is gathered, where on the head the hair is bound, and how it is bound, the ponytail can be made to drape in a variety of ways. In most cases, however, the ponytail generally extends outward and downward from the head. One style of wearing the ponytail which was extremely popular in the 1950's was to wear the pony tail so that it is ‘propped up’, whereas the ponytail seem to extend upward before draping downward. Achieving this look involved bending a portion of the hair rearward of the tie so that it extends forward, clipping the hair, and then allowing it to extend rearward over the rest of the ponytail. Unfortunately, reliably achieving this appearance was not easy, and required several ‘bobby pins’ or clips and also considerable time. Now, as this ponytail style has returned to favor, there is a renewed opportunity to provide the desired appearance in an easy and reliable manner.
Various devices have been proposed which seek to enhance the appearance or wearability of the ponytail for the user, would not aid the purposes of the present invention. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,847,016 to Rabinowitz discloses a ponytail hair clasp and ornament. U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,699 to Horman discloses a ponytail holder that clamps the hair within a cylindrical structure. U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,125 to Sartena and U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,368 to Giamalva both disclose devices that allow the formation of unusual hairstyles with groups of hair. U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,379 to Droin discloses a comb-like element for holding the hair. U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,484 to Longsworth discloses a hair fashion accessory that facilitates holding the hair and attachment of a bow to the hair.
My previous United States Patents disclose system for holding ponytails that provide an unobtrusive natural appearance. These devices do not, by themselves, allow the desired ponytail style to be achieved, but may be suitable for use as the ‘tie’ as described hereinafter.
Accordingly, while these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.